A lurking from the shadows
by Bobcat946732
Summary: A one shot I wrote a while back about a mysterious man who challenges Zaraki for his captain position. T for safety.


Title: A lurking from the shadows

**Authurs note: This is an unedited version of a story i had on my pc for a while. I had planned to resubbmint an edited version but i recently aquired 9 new games and am very busy with them so an edited version won't be coming for quite some time as i only come on the pc to check email and what not. Sorries. Read and review and all that junk anyway please even if it's been on here a while. thanks**

The day had started like any other for Zaraki, boring and unfulfilling. The sun was high and all he had done was sleep and listen to Yachiru's playful bickering. He would have given anything to fight someone or something, as long as it was a challenge. Ichigo was still in the world of the living, his subordinates ran away at the mention of fighting, and he was forbidden to fight any of the other squad captains. It is for those reasons that Zaraki was laying down in the middle of the squad 11 training area, (something he made a habit of doing on days like this) in hopes of someone coming to fight him. Lucky for him Yachiru was there to give plenty of company. It was at the thought of Yachiru that he quickly sat up with an idea. This managed to get a stare from Yachiru who was playing with the wooden swords.

"Hey Yachiru, why don't you fight me?" Zaraki was unbelievably desperate to ask this. He realized this himself after asking and expected Yachiru to be slightly surprised. The question however, didn't phase her at all but rather peaked a smile.

"Wow Kenny, you must be really bored if you're asking me to fight." She started to giggle at the thought of it. "Sorry Kenny but I couldn't ever fight you, besides I wouldn't want to hurt you." She began to laugh harder now. Zaraki just gave her a yeah right look and went back to laying down realizing how stupid and pointless the question was.

A few surprisingly silent hours had passed and Zaraki was having dreams about fighting Ichigo and all of the captains at the same time. He had just finished of Byakuya when a lower level subordinate came into the room out of breath.

"Captain Zaraki sir, I have some urgent news!" Zaraki opened one eye annoyed that his dream was disrupted. He thought to himself that if the news wasn't important he would cut the guy in half as punishment "Umm," he had a hard time speaking after seeing his captain with a look of disgust that he new probably met trouble for him. "Captain Zaraki Sir, there is a man at the southern gate asking to see you." This wasn't what Zaraki hoped to here. He periodically had so called fans asking for his autograph after he saved a small village from destruction. He of course did it just to have fun with the intruder and not to save the people there.

"And what do I care about some nobody that wants to see me." Zaraki decided that cutting his subordinate in half would probably cause him to lose his captain seat. A three day training session would be a much better punishment.

"Sir, I don't know the details but Head Captain Yamamoto gave me this message. He also said if you didn't show up you would be thrown out of the Gotai thirteen." At these words the subordinate bowed and quickly left, afraid of what Zaraki may do to him.

Zaraki was rather disgusted at the idea of having to go and meet some random person. It wasn't fair that a high level warrior like himself had to do such a meaningless task. If it wasn't for Yachiru speaking up he would have probably ignored the message entirely.

"Come on Kenny. You're not doing anything here but being a lazy turtle. This could be important and you never know. It could be a lot of fun." She gave her usual perky smile in hopes it would get him on his feet. Zaraki gave a loud sigh realizing ignoring the message wouldn't be worth losing his place as a captain.

"Okay Yachiru, but if this doesn't provide some entertainment I'm going to take everyone on the squad for a five day training session." Zaraki gave a wide grin at the thought and headed off to the southern gate with Yachiru comfortably hanging from his right shoulder.

More than and hour later a huge crowd of Shinigami, most from squad eleven were hanging around the southern gates. A few captains including Yamamoto were also present. Everyone had there eyes on the mysterious stranger asking for Zaraki. The man began to laugh a little.

"What? Is big bad Kenpachi too afraid to show his face? Everyone of his squad is here as well as the head captain. How pathetic that the supposedly strongest squad captain is too scared to," he was cut off.

"Captain Zaraki would never be scared of a person like you. He probably didn't want to waste his time on you." said a lower level Shinigami. Many of the others gave nods and yells of support. The man just shook his head and looked at the sky.

"Pathetic," he looked and pointed at the crowd. How could any of you support a murderer like him? He's a man who laughs at others misfortune; a man would show no compassion for others weaker them himself, and a man who murders defenseless people just to see them die." He began to shout. "How could anybody ever support a worthless piece of trash like him?" He glared at the crowd.

"You sure don't like me very much do you." Zaraki jumped over the surprised crowd and landed next to the man. They stood on even height. "And here I am doing my best to be an upstanding warrior that everyone likes. I can't have anyone hate me now. That might ruin my reputation. I guess I'll just have to kill you so you make anyone else hate me." He got a big grin and drew his sword swinging. The man was quick to dodge and countered with a similar attack.

"That is enough!" Head captain Yamamoto got in between the two. "That is no way for a captain to attack Zaraki," He glared with a look of death and soon turned it on the man. "And you, I know why you're here but everyone else does not. Show some pride and dignity before engaging in combat. Now explain to everyone why you are here." The man felt a slight chill but kept his cool.

"I am here to challenge Captain Kenpachi Zaraki of squad eleven for his title and rank of captain." The crowd stood silent, most having already guessed as such. They turned their eyes to their captain to see his reaction. His grin was wider then normal.

"You are challenging me for my rank and title? And here I thought this was going to be a boring day. A fight to the death it is then. I accept your challenge." The crowd began to cheer and yell for but were just as quickly silenced by the head captain.

"Very well, this fight shall take place in the training grounds of squad eleven. Let us commence there immediately." He quickly took off followed by Zaraki, the man and the entirety of squad eleven. They all arrived rather quickly and appropriately took their positions. Zaraki and the man were at opposite ends of the battle ground, Yamamoto was standing just outside the middle of the field, Yachiru had found a nice spot on his shoulder and the squad members surrounded the rest of the area. A few of the other captains arrived at Yamamoto's side hoping to see a good fight. It wasn't normal for someone to challenge a captain, let alone Zaraki. He had to have some power, right?

Yamamoto pounded his staff into the ground as everyone's eyes turned to the two warriors. He glanced between them and shouted, "Begin!"

The man took the initiative and charged at his opponent hoping to get a quick upper hand. Zaraki easily parried his attacks and pushed him back. "I hope that you will be more of a challenge then this. At this rate I won't even break a sweat before I kill you." Zaraki took action now and charged at him. The man smiled and dodged all of his attacks just as easily as Zaraki had parried them.

"It's to bad murderer. You have all that power but what will you do if you can't hit me. I guess you'll just have to give up and maybe I'll make your death quick." He charged a bit quicker this time and thrust his blade at Zaraki's shoulder barely breaking the skin.

"Well you got me. Congratulations," he grabbed the man's blade hand. "Now, let's see if I can hit you this time." He lifted his sword high above his head ready to strike. The man's eyes grew wide and he quickly said a few words under his breath as Zaraki swung down with full force. The attack however had hit nothing but the ground. The man had retreated to a safe distance and was out of breath. Zaraki began staring at hand and smiled. "That's quite an interesting technique you have there. To be able to escape my grasp without taking my hand is quite a feat." He chuckled. "It seems to have taken quite a toll on you, and your sword is gone as well. A heavy price, to avoid one attack."

"Hehehe," The man stood up "That one attack would have killed me if it hit. Also, my sword isn't gone. It's still here, you just can't see it." At those words three black spikes came up from the ground and impaled Zaraki's shoulders and sword hand. He just laughed at the surprise attack.

"It seems that you're focusing on my shoulders so you can prevent me from attacking, but where's the fun in that? If you paralyze your opponent you may as well be fighting a dead person. Where's the joy in killing someone who won't fight back?" The man quickly grew angry.

"How dare you speak those words when you yourself are guilty of the same thing. You have killed countless numbers of people who couldn't fight back and you got plenty of joy out of it you worthless monster! Especially my…" He stopped midsentence and glared at Zaraki. "You will pay for what you have done." At a slight flick of his wrists the spikes went deeper into his body.

"Hehehe, oh don't tell me. I killed someone important to you and now you want to get revenge and kill me. Am I close? It doesn't matter either way. The only thing that's important is that you're here and I will get to kill you." Zaraki let out a fierce battle cry and shattered the black spikes but just as quickly as he shattered them three more came to take there place finally tearing through his body. Zaraki let out a sigh. "This battle is getting old and tiresome. I think I'll just finish it right now." Using a bit of power he broke the spike in his left shoulder and reached for his eye patch, before he could reach it though another spike drove through his arm.

"_I have to do this quick_," The man thought. He put his hands in a peculiar fashion and released a tremendous amount of energy at once. The energy gathered at Zaraki's eye patch and seemed to fuse with it. The spikes disappeared right after and the man fell to his knees. Zaraki reached up to take off the patch but it wouldn't budge.

"What did you do to me? I can't take my patch." The man laughed as he returned to his previous position.

"I used a very power technique to seal the eye patch to your body. It can only come off now if I remove the seal or I die. Hehe. Did you think I am stupid? I know very well what would have happened if you removed that patch. I came into this battle prepared. I know everything there is to know about you. Your fighting style, taunt's, other abilities and especially your bloodlust while you know nothing of me. Truthfully it took me months to gather the appropriate energy in order to use that technique but it was well worth it. I would never be able to kill you at your full power but if I can keep you from gaining full power I would stand a chance. It was the only way I could guarantee my victory over you. It doesn't matter what you do now even if you were to use kendo I know all your moves and could easily dodge all of them. Now before I finish you off and avenge my loved ones let me tell you my name so you will know who it is that killed you. My name is…" He was cut off.

"Would you shut up already! I'm don't care what your name is and I'm sick of all your useless chatter. If you're going to kill me then do it already. Don't waste your time telling me about your useless life. If I am to die it won't matter if I know it or not in death. Now prepare to die because if you think you know everything about me then your wrong. I didn't want to have to use this in front of everyone but nows as good a time any any. Hehehe. Bankai!" No more then after he said those words the man's eyes grow wide with disbelief.

"_It isn't possible. I've done extensive research on him and because of the way he fights it's impossible for him to learn bankai._" The man was too busy in his thoughts to realize what had happened. Zaraki was behind him sheathing his sword.

"I'll admit it was fun for a little while, considering how weak you are. But in the end you let your guard down to gather your thoughts. You should have been watching me the entire time. If you had you may have actually succeeded in killing me, but now you will simply die." Zaraki started walking away as the man fell to his knees.

"_What happened? Did he really achieve bankai or was it a ruse to distract me? It doesn't matter anyway because I failed. I'm sorry… I couldn't avenge you, but it looks like… I will be joining you soon._" The man fell to the ground as blood began to surround his body. "_Kenpachi Zaraki. I hope you get… what's coming to you one day._" The man closed his eyes as he silently waited for deaths grip to tighten and take him away from the cruel fate, which had befallen him.

**Authurs Note: Not a bad story so far considering it isn't edited at all and that when i reread it i forgot that i wrote most of it in the first place. **


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